Timer



F. LUX

TIMER Oct. 8, 1940.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 13, 1938 Oct. 8, 1940. LUX 2,217,226

TIMER Filed Feb. 13, 1939 3 Sheets-SheetQ Oct. 8, 1940. LUX 2,217,226

TIMER Filed Feb. 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented a. a, 1940 2,217,226

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIMER Frederick Lux, Waterbury, Conn, assignmto The Lux Clock Manufacturing Company, Inc., Watcrbury,"- Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application February 13, 1939, Serial No. 256,064

1 3 Claims. (Cl. 200-39) The present invention relates to time switches, freely without disturbing the clockwork which and more particularly to devices of this character drives it, but when released will be rotated by the designed to be used in connection with an electric clockwork due to the frictional engagement thererange, for example, although the invention is not with.

to be considered as limited in this respect. In the To these and other ends the invention consists 5 embodiment of the invention shown in the drawin the novel features and combinations of parts ings, there is provided in a single case a time or to be hereinafter described and claimed.

clock mechanism, and a time switch for auto- In the drawings: matically turning on the heating element of an Fig. 1 is a front elevational'vie'w of a range electric range at any selected time, and for autotimer embodying my invention; 10

matically turning oil? the heating element at a Fig. 2 is a side elevational view looking toward later selected. time. Also, in the same case, and the right in Fig. 1, with thecase removed;

operated by the same time or clock mechanism, Fig. 3 is a side elevational view looking from is a so-called interval timer for operating a the opposite direction to that of Fig. 2, with some device such as a signal at the expiration of a parts broken away for the sake of clearness; 15 definite time interval, which time interval is usu- Fig. 4 is a rear view of the mechanism with ally relatively short, and which may be accuparts broken away for the sake of clearness; rately predetermined. It will, of course, be Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the parts shown in understood that this latter device may be used in Figs. 2 and 3, with certain portions being shown relations other than with a gong or signal, if in section; an de ir d, Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 1; In the case of the clock-operated time switch, Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on line '|-'l of the mechanism may be set to turn on the cur- Fig. 6; rent at a predetermined time when thehands of Figs. 8 and 9 are front and side elevational the clock mechanism reach that time. The ourviews, respectively, of the cooperating cam and 25 rent will then remain on until the clock reaches disk mechanism and associated gear;

the time set for the turning oif of the current, at Fig. 10 is a detail view of a portion of the rotatwhich time the switch will be again operated to able switch control mechanism; turn the current off. Also means are provided Fig. 11 is a partial sectional view on line ll--il for changing the device from automatic control of Fig. 1, showing the frictional drive of the set- 30 to manual control, so that the electric range or ting shaft; and other device with which the switch is used may Fig. 12 is a fragmentary detail view of the be operated as desired by manual control .withswitch-controlling cam and associated parts.

out the use of the time switch. a To illustrate an embodiment of my invention, One object of the present invention is to provide I have shown a range timer provided with a case 35 an improved construction for a time switch mech- I0 having centrally mounted thereon a clock dial anism such that the mechanism may be more II with which cooperate the clock hands 5 2. On convenient in operation and at the same time one side of the clock dial there is mounted on the relatively inexpensive to manufacture. front of the case a second dial l3 with which co- A still further object of the invention is to prooperates a setting disk l4 having a pointer I5 40 vide rotatable shafts by which the setting of the designated by the word off, and a thumb-turn mechanism to the on" and off positions may It also having a pointer or indicating arrow ll be accomplished, which shafts will be concentric designated by the word on. This dial and the whereby the mechanism may be more compact, cooperating members are designed to be emand at the same time be simple and positive in ployed with the on and oil timer, in that they 45 operation. are set to designate and predetermine the time at A still further object of the invention is the imwhich the clock mechanism will close the switch provement of the tripping stops which permit to turn the current on, and the time at which it intermittent rotation of a spring-actuated switchwill open the switch to later turn the current 01$.

controlling member, so that the device may be Upon the side of the case opposite the clock 50 easily set, and at the same time will be positive dial is provided the dial l8 for the interval timer,

in operation. with which dial cooperates the thumb-turn l9 A still further object of the invention is the prowhich may be rotated to indicate the interval of vision of a-friction drive for the interval timer, time during which it is desired to use the range.

whereby the shaft of this timer may be rotated Also on the front of the case appears a knob or button I 9 by which the clock mechanism may be set, and a knob 23, which may be employed to set themechanism of the interval timer. These knobs are connected to rotating shafts, as will appear hereinafter.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the clock hands are driven by a clock mechanism designated generally by the numeral 2|, which may be operated by an electric motor 22 mounted in the rear of the case. A gear 23 is driven from the gearing of the clock mechanism, which gear meshes with a wide-faced pinion 24, and which pinion in turn drives the gears 25 and 26 of the onand of! timer. As shown more particularly in Fig. 6, gear 25 is secured to a hollow cam member 21, within which is adapted to be received a disk or collet 23, which is in turn secured to a hollow shaft 23. The setting disk is secured to the shaft 29, and the latter is frictionally retained against movement by a spring 30 which may be secured to the shaft, and bears against a frame member 3!, which, with a companion frame member 32, forms the support for the clock and timer mechanism. As shown in Fig. 9, the disk or collet 23 is provided with a projecting finger 33 designed to cooperate with a cam notch 34 in the adjacent face of the hollow cam 21, so that when the notch stands opposite the finger 33, the hollow cam 21 and gear 25 attached thereto are permitted to move toward the collet, or to the left, as shown in Fig. 6. The thumb-turn or button i6 is secured to a shaft 35, which passes loosely through the shaft 29 and also passes loosely through the hub of the hollow cam 21 to the rear of the case. Loosely mounted upon this shaft is a second hollow cam 21, which cooperates with a collet 28 secured to the shaft and provided with a projecting finger 33. This hollow cam and collet are similar to the corresponding parts illustrated in Fig. 9 and just described, so that no further description will be necessary. The gear 26 previously referred to is secured to the hub of the hollow cam 21.

The frame members 3| and 32 are connected together by a series of posts upon which are mounted spacing sleeves in the usual manner to hold the plate or frame members apart. Upon two of these posts, 36 and 31, as shown in Fig. 7, are mounted stop or detent members 38 and 38 of similar form, one of which is shown in this figure. These members, as shown, loosely embrace the shaft 35, and are provided with bentover ends which are slightly beveled or camshaped, as shown at 39 and 35.

The button 20 is secured upon a setting shaft 40 shown more particularly in Fig. 6, which shaft is normally urged outwardly or to the left, as shown in Fig. 6, by a spring 4| acting against a collar 42 on the shaft. This shaft passes loosely through the frame members 3| and 32, and has secured thereto a setting hub 43, and a switchcontrolling cam 44, the latter being on the righthand end of the shaft, as shown in Fig. 6. The setting hub 43, as shown more particularly in Fig. 10, is provided with a pair of crank arms 45 and 45*, which arms are provided with turned ends 46 and 46 and are also provided with laterally projecting arms 41 and 41 To the arm 41, as shown in Fig. 6, is secured a spring 48 the other end of which is secured to a post 49 attached to the frame member 32, so that the hub 43 and its associated parts, shown in Fig. 10, together with the shaft 40 to which it is secured, is urged to rotate in an anti-clockwise direction as viewed from the front of the case (Fig. 1).

Also secured to the arms 45 and 45 are laterally projecting stop members 54 and 56, one of which stop members cooperates with an arcuate slot 5| in the plate member 32 to limit the rotation of the shaft 44. As shown in Fig. 4, the cam member 44 on this shaitis provided with a pair of switch-operating extensions 52 and 63. which are slightly spaced apart to provide a dwell portion or depression 54, the remainder of the cam member being substantially circular in shape and presenting laterally a dwell portion 65 of considerable extent.

At the rear of the case is mounted an insulating member 56 having contact posts 51 and 56 designed to be connected in series with the circuit leading to the electric range. A switch contact 59 is secured to the member 56, which is designed to cooperate with a similar switch contact member 66 secured on a switch spring arm 6|, which is attached at its lower end to the member 56. The latter member is provided with an opening through which loosely passes a pin 62, preferably formed of insulating material, which pin is designed to be actuated by a shoulder 63 on a lever 64 pivoted on shaft 35, and provided at its upper end with a pin 66 designed to ride upon the surface of the switch-controlling cam 44.

It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the disk l4 and the turn button l6 should be turned in a counterclockwise direction in order to move the fingers 33 and 33 from the respective cam slots 34 and 34. In order to prevent these members from being turned in a clockwise direction, teeth or serrations 61 are provided at the rear face of the disk 44, with which teeth cooperates a detent 68 secured to the frame, and the shaft 35 upon which the thumb-tum I6 is secured is provided with a ratchet wheel 69 with which cooperates a detent 10, as shown in Fig. 4. A frictional drag is provided on the hollow shaft 29 by the spring 30, and a similar drag is provided on the setting shaft 35 by a spring H mounted upon a collar 12 secured to this shaft, this spring engaging against the frame member 32 at the rear of the case. The detent members 38 and 38 are free to swing pivotally to some extent to the right and left, as shown in Fig. 6, about their mountings on the posts 36 and 31. Through openings in these members also passes a post 13, upon which post are mounted the springs 14 and 14, which tend to urge the members 38 and 38 to the left, as shown in this figure.

The operation of the "on and off timer will now be described. As shown in the drawings, the device is in position for use, or in its set position. Before it is turned to this position, and when the parts are at rest, switch-controlling cam 44 mounted on the shaft 40 is in the position shown in Fig. 12, with the member 53 at theupper end of the slot 5|. The member 66 on the switch-controlling lever 40 rests on the dwell portion of the cam 44, and the switch contacts 59 and will be in engagement. This will be the normal position of the parts when the range is under manual control and the on and off timer is not in use. The timer is then set by turning the thumb-turn l6 so that the arrow points to the hour at which time it is desired to turn the circuit on. This movement causes the finger 33* on the collet 26' to ride up the cam surface 34 out of the cam notch,

pushing the hollow cam 21 to the right, as shown in Fig. 6, and likewise moving the detent member 38 to the right on the shaft 35, as shown in this figure. The disk I4 is then turned until the indicator points to the hour at which it is desired to have the current turned off. This movement rotates the hollow shaft 28 and the collet 28, and likewise moves the hollow cam 21 and detent 38 to the right, as previously described in connection with the rotation of the shaft 35. The setting of the device is now completed by turningthe button 28 to the set position. This rotates the shaft 40 and switch-controlling cam 44 from the position in Fig. 12 to that shown in Fig. 4. At this time the high point I2 of the cam 44 engages the pin 88 and moves the lever 84 to the left, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the pin 82 will be pushed to the left by the shoulder 83 to separate the contacts 88 and 88 and thus open the switch. Rotation of the shaft 48 will likewise rotate the hub 43 and arms 48 and 48 attached thereto. These arms will ried considerably past the corresponding member 38, but the arm 48 will be carried Just past the 'arm 38', so that when the button 28 is released the spring 48 will cause this arm to engage against the turned end 38' of the detent member 88'. The device is now set, and when the clock hands reach the hour at which the current is to be turned on, the cam 21 will be rotated to a position in which the finger 33' is opposite the cam opening 34', and permit this cam, together with the member 38', to be moved toward the left under influence of its spring 14-. This movement of the member 38 to the left, as shown in Fig. 6, will move the turned end 38 from the path of the arm 38, and release the shaft 48 so that the spring as may rotate this shaft until the arm 48 engages against the turned end 38 of the member 38. At this time the pin 88 will lie within the dwell 84, and the contacts 88 and 88 will be in engagement so that the cur- .rent will be turned on for operation of the range.

This condition will be maintained until the clock hands reach the hour at which the current is to be turned off. At this time the finger 33 will be opposite the cam notch 34, and in a manner similar to that previously described, the member 38 will be moved to the left under influence of the spring ",thus moving the turned end 38 out of the path of the arm 48 so as to permit the spring 48 to give the shaft 48 a further partial rotation.

The shaft 48 will now be permitted to rotate until the arm 48 strikes a pin I8 secured to the 5 case, at which time the pin 88 will be engaged by the high point 83 of the switch-controlling cam 44, and the plunger or pin 82 will hold the contact members 58 and 88 out of engagement. It will be realized that if the rotation of the shaft 48 were not arrested by the pin I3, this shaft would rotate to its original position under influence of the spring 48, and thus turn the current on again, as in such case the pin 88 would be upon the dwell portion 88. If it is now desired to return to manual operation of the switch for the range, the button 28 is pressed inwardly against the action of the spring 4i, and the arm' 45 is released from the pin 18. The shaft 48 then completes its reverse rotation to its initial position, at which time the members 88 and 88 are in contact.

The thumb-turn IQ of the interval timer, shown at the left of the case in Fig. 1, is secured to a shaft 88 rotatably mounted in the frame plates 3| and 32, as shown in'Figs. 5 and 11.

Rotatably mounted upon the shaft 88 is a gear 8| urged by a compression spring 82 against a washer 83 mounted upon the shaft and disposed between the gear and a disk 84 secured to the shaft. This arrangement provides a friction drive between the gear and shaft, so that. while the shaft 88 may be turned independently of the gear when movement of the latter is resisted by the gear train with which it is engaged. when the gear train moves, the shaft will be rotated through this drive. The gear 8i meshes with a gear 88 (Fig. 5) rotatably mounted between the plates 3i and 32, which gear is in turn driven from the clock train. The movement of the clock train moves the shaft 80 in a counterclockwise direction when it has been moved from its normal or zero position manually. The movement from the normal or zero position is accomplished in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 1, independently of the gear 8| and the conpermitted by this friction drive.

The shaft 80 projects through the frame plate 32 and upon its rear end is secured a crank arm 88, shown in Fig. 4. Adjacent this arm a detent 81 is pivoted at 88 upon the plate 32, and this detent is provided with a slot 38 receiving a pin 88, so that it is limited to a relatively small pivotal movement. A gong or bell 8| is secured at the back of the plate 32, and may, as shown, surround the motor 22. Cooperating with this gong is a clapper or striker 82 pivoted to the plate 32 at 83, the clapper being carried by a bell crank lever one arm of which 84 extends toward the detent 31. The movement of the clapper.is limited in one direction by the pin 88, and a spring 88 is secured to the detent 81 at one end, and to the arm 84 at the other end. so as to normally urge these members toward each other about their pivots l3 and 83.

The crank arm 88 is provided with a pin 81 designed to engage the adjacent beveled surface 88 of the arm 84, and is also provided upon one side with a boss 88 to engage a corresponding boss I 08 on the detent lever 81. The lever arm 84 is provided with a laterally turned portion illl which is designed to be caught over the extreme end I82 of the lever 81 when the arm 94 is raised by the crank 88, so that the arm 94 will be held in elevated position and the clapper held away from the bell.

The operation of the interval timer is as follows: In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings the parts areshown in their normal or unset position, the thumb-turn l8 pointing to zero at that time, as shown in Fig. 1. When this thumb-turn is rotated, in the direction of the arrow on Fig. 1, the crank arm 88 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown on Fig. 4, thus raising the crank arm 84 against the tension of the spring 88 until the portion ifll on this arm has been moved to a suillcient extent to permit the surface I82 of the detent 81 to be drawn thereunder by the spring 88. The arm 84 will then be held in this upper position by the detent, regardless of continued movement of the crank arm 86, and the clapper 82 will be held away from the gong. This movement of these parts by the shaft 88 is, of course, effected without any rotation of the gear 8| due to the frictional connection between these parts, and the thumb-turn I8 is rotated to the desired position so that it will indicate the number of minutes during which the range is to be used. After the mechanism has been thus set, movement of the shaft 88 in a reverse direction will be eflected by the clock train, and the gear Ill through the friction drive heretofore described. The arm 88 will be moved in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 4, from the position atwhich it has previously been set. This movement will continue until the boss 99 on the arm It strikes the boss I00 on the detent lever 81, and moves this detent to the right, as shown in Fig. 4, until the surface I02 is disengaged from the laterally turned end portion IOI of the arm 94. When the arm 94 is thus released, it is at once moved downwardly by the spring 96, which causes the clapper 92 to strike the gong SI and indicate to the operator that the time interval has expired. The parts are, of course, so arranged that this release takes place when the thumb-turn l9 points to zero on the dial l8.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited toall of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a time switch, a timing mechanism, a pair of cams rotated by said timing mechanism, said cams being mounted on a common axis and movable in an axial direction, a movable switchcontroiling means, a pair of members in the path of a part of said means to successively interrupt movement thereof, and devices operated by the movement of said cams for successively moving said members from said path to permit intermittent movement of said means to operate the switch, said cams being mounted on a common shaft.

2. In a time switch, a timing mechanism, a movable switch-controlling means, a pair of members in the path of said means to successively interrupt motion thereof, a pair of co-axiaily mounted cams rotated by said timing mechanism, said cams being movable axially, and devices operated by said cams for successively moving said members to release the switch-controlling means and effect operation of the switch.

3. In a time switch, a timing mechanism, a movable switch-controlling means, a pair of members in the path of said means to successively interrupt motionthereof, a pair of co-axiallyv mounted cams rotated by said timing mechanism, and devices operated by said cams for successively moving said members to release the switchcontrolling means and effect operation of the switch, and said switch-controlling means being mounted on a longitudinally movable shaft whereby manual release thereof may be eflected.

4. In a time switch, a timing mechanism, rotatable switch-controlling means, a pair of members in the path of said means to successively interrupt motion thereof, a pair of co-axially mounted cams rotated by said timing mechanism, devices operated by said cams for successively moving said members to release the switch-controlling means and effect operation of the switch, a stop to arrest rotation of said means after its release by said members, and said means being mounted on a longitudinally movable shaft whereby it may be disengaged from said stop.

5. In a time switch, a timing mechanism, a rotatable switch-operating device, detents arranged in the path of said device to successively interrupt rotation thereof, means to successively move said detents to position to release said switch-operating device and effect operation of the switch, said means including a pair of coaxial rotatable shafts, devices rotated by said timing mechanism and connected one to each of said detents, and members on said shafts controlling said devices to permit movement thereof.

6. In a time switch, a timing mechanism, a rotatable switch-operating device, a pair of detents arranged in the path of said device to successively interrupt rotation thereof, means to successively move said detents to position to release said switch-operating device and effect operation of the switch, said means including a pair of telescoping shafts, a pair of cams rotated by said timing mechanism each of which controls one of said detents, and members on said shafts cooperating with said cams.

7. In a time switch, a timing mechanism, a rotatable switch-operating device, detents arranged in the path of said device to successively interrupt rotation thereof, means to successively move said detents to position to release said switchoperating device and effect operation of the switch, said means including a pair of telescoping shafts, a pair of cams rotated by said timing mechanism each of which controls one of said detents, members on said shafts cooperating with said cams, the inner of said shafts projecting from the outer at one end, manually operable members mounted on said end and the adjacent and of the outer shaft, and a dial cooperating with both of said members.

8. In a time switch, a timing mechanism, a pair of co-axial shafts, a cam slidable with respect to each of said shafts, said cams being rotated by said timing mechanism, a spring-urged rotary switch-operating member, means for normally holding said member against rotation, said means including a pair of detents operated successively, one by each of said cams, for releasing said holding means to permit rotation of said switch-operating member.

9. A time switch comprising a timing mechanism, movable switch-operating means, a pair of co-axial cams rotated by said timing mechanism, said cams being movable in the direction of their axes, and means set into operation successively by the axial movement of said cams to efiect successive movements of said switch-operating means to operate the switch.

10. In a time switch, switch-operatingmeans including a shaft, a switch-operating cam on said shaft, and a pair of members projecting from said shaft, means to effect rotation of said shaft. a timing mechanism, a pair of co-axial cams rotated thereby, a detent in the path of each of said projecting members, and means set into operation by the rotation of said co-axial cams to successively release said members from the detents to effect intermittent rotation of said switch-operating cam.

11. In a time switch, switch-operating means including a shaft, s switch-operating cam on said shaft, and a pair of members projecting from said shaft, means to effect rotation of said shaft, a timing mechanism, a pair of co-axial cams rotated thereby, a detent in the path of each of said projecting members, means set into operation by the rotation of said co-axial cams to successively release said members from the detents to effect intermittent rotation of said switch-operating cam, a spring-pressed member engaged with said switch-operating cam, and means connecting said member to the switch.

12. In a time switch, switch-operating means including a shaft, a switch-operating cam on said shaft, and a pair of members projecting from said shaft, means to eflect rotation oi said shaft, a timing mechanism, a pair of co-axial cams rotated thereby, a detent in the path 01' each of said projecting members, means set into operation by the rotation of said co-axial cams to successively release said members from the detents to effect intermittent rotation of said switch-operating cam, a spring-pressed member engaged with said last-named cam, means connecting said member to the switch, and said cam being provided with a plurality of cam surfaces to effect a plurality of switch operations during a partial rotation of said shaft.

13. In a time switch, switch-operating means including a shaft, a switch-operating cam on said shaft, and a pair of members projecting from said shaft, means to efiect rotation of said shaft, a timing mechanism, a pair of co-axial cams rotated thereby, a detent in the path of each of said projecting members, means set into operation by the rotation of said co-axial cams to suecessively release said members from the detents to efl'ect intermittent "rotation of said switch- 

